Student Ambassador Program
The ACEI Student Ambassador Program enables students to pursue their innovative endeavors and develop their businesses while also equipping them with the skills and resources to be successful. These student ambassadors are a team of interdisciplinary students at UT who share a passion for entrepreneurship and serve as representatives for the Anderson Center and the Knoxville community.
If you would like to connect with an ACEI student ambassador, please email acei@utk.edu.
Are you a UT student with a passion for entrepreneurship?
We are now accepting rolling applications. Apply now to be one of our ACE Student Ambassadors.
Roles of an ACEI Student Ambassador
- Represent the Anderson Center around campus and the Knoxville community in support of entrepreneurship and innovation
- Provide tours of the Anderson Center and share stories of the student companies that have started through the Anderson Center
- Attend Anderson Center workshops, competitions and events throughout the year
- Spread the entrepreneurial and Volunteer spirit around campus
Benefits of being an ACEI student Ambassador
- Knowledge of everything the Anderson Center offers and the stories of the Anderson Center
- Access to the Anderson Center’s resources and mentors to further develop your business endeavors
- Networking opportunities with other student ambassadors, prospective entrepreneurship students, current and potential ACEI Donors, guest speakers, etc.
Meet Our Ambassadors
Lydia Capps
Senior
Finance, Business Analytics
Passions:
Real estate, finance, private equity, travel
Hannah Clark
Junior
Supply Chain and Entrepreneurship
Passion:
Inspiring others to seek discomfort and to always be true to themself
Nick DiMeglio
MBA Class of 2024, Concentration in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Passions:
Football, sports business, marketing, startups
Haylee Ferguson
Senior
Food and Agricultural Business, Entrepreneurship, Geographic Information Science
Passions:
All things VOLs, advocating for the agriculture industry and discovering efficient new ways to feed the growing population
Josef Govednik
Senior
Computer Science
Passion:
Baseball, music, technology, and creativity
Owen Gunter
Junior
Accounting, Entrepreneurship
Passions:
Connecting with others and learning their story, baseball, reading, travel
Blake Hopkins
Senior
Supply Chain Management. Entrepreneurship
Passions:
Photography, entrepreneurship, cars, golf
Brennan Lessard
Senior
Management, Entrepreneurship
Passions:
Helping empower people to develop and fulfill their visions, outdoor sports, learning something new, business development
Kenna Mullins
Junior
Sports Management, Graphic Design
Passions:
Entrepreneurship, fitness, being creative, spirituality, connecting with people, and sales
Rondi Quass
Sophomore
Mathematics & Applied AI
Passions:
Leadership, athletics, mental health, learning, math, and the environment
Jawan Qura
Senior
Business Management
Passions:
Fitness and helping others improve their health
Aniirudh Ramesh
PhD in Mechanical Engineering (Fall 2025), Double Minors in Statistics and Computational Science
Passions:
Startups, Technology Commercialization, Playing the Violin, Hiking
Jackson Zimmer
Senior
Finance
Passion:
Creating products that have the power to positively affect someone’s life
Zain Zitawi
Marketing, Entrepreneurship
Passions:
Sneakers, boxing, cars, snowboarding, basketball